In a case
study featured in a recent
blog post at
abovethelaw.com, it was interesting to learn why a
law firm would consider public relations so important to
its business despite the onslaught of digital marketing
mania.

The first
point made in the post is very important. PR firms are
like attorneys in that most concentrate on a specific
market niche or industry. This is closely tied to the
second point – that good PR firms are not simply press
release factories. They know their media contacts –
mainstream, digital and social - and thus can contact
the ones most likely to want to hear about a new
development or story idea that fits their beat.

The author
points out that today’s digital marketing world creates
unrealistic expectations – that by simply having an
Internet presence and social media strategy you can
eliminate the need for a comprehensive PR effort. While
we would all like to take the easy approach to
marketing, it still takes relationships and hard work to
get the earned media attention and credibility that can
drive real clients to your company.

As the post
concludes, a good PR firm that integrates traditional
with digital and social media approaches to building a
brand is not only relevant, but also critical to a
company’s success.